Caspases are a family of cysteine protease enzymes that are key mediators in the signaling pathways for apoptosis and cell disassembly (Thornberry, Chem. Biol., 1998, 5, R97-R103). Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a principal mechanism by which organisms eliminate unwanted cells. The deregulation of apoptosis, either excessive apoptosis or the failure to undergo it, has been implicated in a number of diseases such as cancer, acute inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, and certain neurodegenerative disorders (see generally Science, 1998, 281, 1283-1312; Ellis et al., Ann. Rev. Cell. Biol., 1991, 7, 663). Caspase-1, the first identified caspase, is also known as interleukin-1β converting enzyme or “ICE.” Caspase-1 converts precursor interleukin-1β (“pIL-1β”) to the pro-inflammatory active form by specific cleavage of pIL-1β between Asp-116 and Ala-117. Besides caspase-1 there are also eleven other known human caspases which have been classified into families based on their biological function.
Many currently reported synthetic routes for producing caspase inhibitors require expensive starting materials, chromatographic separation of diastereomers, and/or disadvantageous synthetic steps.
It would be desirable to have a synthetic route to caspase inhibitors, or prodrugs thereof, that is amenable to large-scale synthesis and overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings or otherwise improves upon the current methods.